Miranda You appear to be making all the right choices in life. I will be a little bit presumptuous by offering some advice on helping you to raise your child in touch with nature in this age full of all the electronic lures that keep the kids indoors. or, when outdoors, glued to a small screen, rather than the glory that surrounds them. I am writing a book about landscape architecture and have a section regarding the importance of embracing nature in the preschool years. - which I would like to forward that section to you. However, my computer skills are limited to email and US Mail. I don't even know how to attach a picture to the text. If you would like to receive this draft from my future book, send me your email or postal address, and I'll get it right off to you. My email is cascio.offsite@gmail.com Good luck with your new challenges and opportunities. Joe Cascio

I don't know how big the existing plants were that have now been cut to ground level, but consider that as the root systems of these trees breaks down, there will be subsidence. This will then affect the paving surrounding your pool. I'm just mentioning this so that you are aware of the possibility in future years - it takes some time for this to happen, depending on the size of the trees and the root system. If they were all palms, then the problem may not be so bad as they have a fibrous root system. But underground can be as big a problem as above ground. If in doubt about what to put in pots, something as simple as a Lomandra grass-like plant would look really good - as long as each pot has the same plant. If you can get Lomandra Nyalla - this is a really good one and hardy.

There is no one size fits all for family houses, but here is what I have observed. The first things you need are a decent sized family bathroom, and a decent sized laundry. Never underestimate the laundry size! Small children always want to be near you, so a playroom will just be a toy storage room. By the time they get to primary school and start having homework they need to be near you to do it. They also still enjoy being where you are. By the time they start to be more independent their bedrooms will be their sanctuary, so a larger size with plenty of storage will be more useful. Two living areas is ideal, but not essential. The main one will be where the family gathers to do whatever takes their fancy, where you will find all the toys and activities. Set up some desks for activities/homework etc. The other would be useful for a grown up sanctuary (the good room!!!) - this is the one that is not essential. So looking at your plan in my opinion, I would ditch the activity area and pay more attention to a bigger bathroom and laundry, and bigger bedrooms if that is an option.

thank you for your advise. I have put images of the outside of the house as that where the dining room is from there we will be bringing the decking out 3 metres which will create an out - indoor eating. this is the most finished room giving you an idea of the colour and house. all blue grey tones. sorry about stuff around but a reno house is hard to find spaces below is kitchen as is looking out to the dining through that open servery but we are taking most of that wall out to make an open space - its very small step down below into the dining through the left door way. below is the now dining. the table is very small and hard to pull chairs in and out of hence the indoor out door considerations. belwo is the outdoor looking in. from those doors we are putting a 3 metre decking i think. we have a lot of yard so its easy to do